Aramis Hamer is a visual artist who painted the mural that used to run along the outside of our building up until October of 2017. It featured cassette tapes, galaxies, and a purple goddess. Aramis talked with us about what Black Future means to her, and about some of her musical influences.
Astro King Phoenix shares the reminders this time of year gives to never give up, dreaming about what the youth will do next, and how Tupac Shakur and Kanye West's poetry inspired him.
Eva Walker of The Black Tones shares her experiences growing up loving rock music but not feeling represented, her encouragement for the future, and the artists who've inspired her.
Seattle hip-hop artist Draze has been influenced by both the Seattle music scene and his Zimbabwean roots. He was kind enough to share his thoughts on Afrofuturism and some of his musical influences, and the power music has to change communities and each other.
Nikkita Oliver is an educator, attorney, poet, and musician, who also ran for mayor of Seattle in the 2017 election. She was kind enough to come into our studios and talk about what Black History Month means to her.
Seattle songwriter Olivia Thomas, who performs under the name LIV†, shares the importance of taking pride in the accomplishments of black people, encouraging black female artists, and feeling represented by artists like Alicia Keys and Lauryn Hill.
Bridging the illustrious musical legacy of Seattle’s Central District and his family’s rich Senegalese heritage, "wordsmith MC" Yirim Seck brings a unique insight to Black History Month and Black Future.
Whitney Mongé is a Seattle musician, who plays what she calls “Alternative Soul”, a blend of the R&B and ‘90s rock music that inspired her. In celebration of Black History Month, she shares influences and talks about how it's "pretty cool to be a brown person playing music."
Sistas Rock the Arts is a collective that presents weekly open mic and jam sessions at Rumba Notes in Columbia City. Co-founder La Tanya Horace, aka SistahLuv, talks to KEXP about creating community and black future.
Om Johari is a Seattle based Afro-Punk Musician and Feminist Activist who has sung in Bad Brains and AC/DC cover bands. She has a unique and interesting perspective on Black History Month and why artist Nina Simone matters.
Seattle rapper Gifted Gab talks about celebrating black history all your round, getting her musical education from her mom, and offers inspiring words to other minority artists trying to make their own way.
SassyBlack talks about Quincy Jones, debunking the myth that there's a lack of women producers, and how vast blackness really is.
